Improvement in omnibuses



H. M. STOW.

Omnibus. No. 86,042. lPatented Jan.`19, 1869.

`near the ground, because it would be impossible to turn i tana @@duitnl llgftteut, iltiititt.:i

Letters Patent No. 86,042,

dated .Tamm/ry 19, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT `IN' OMNIBUSES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pm of the lame.

To all whom t ma/y concern: I Be it known that I, HENRY M. S'row, of San Fran'- oisco, in the county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Omnibuses and other-*wheeled vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, in Which- Figure l is a side elevation of an omnibus, made pursuant to my invention, and

Figure 2 is` a plan View of that portion to which my invention particularly relates.

A serious inconvenience/has hitherto been experienced in the use of street-omnibuses for carrying passengers in cities, from the height of the. body from the ground. As heretofore constructed, to run uponiinir wheels, it has been impracticable to suspend the body the vehicle in an ordinary street, if the body were so suspended. I obviate this difficulty by mounting the body upon three wheels, by which means I can suspend it as near the ground as I please, and yet turn the vehicle in less space than is required to turn the fourwheeled omnibus now in common use.

In the accompanying drawings- A is the body of the vehicle;

' B, the rear Wheels; and

C, a single wheel, in front. Y

The rear Wheels are coupled together by a bent axle, a, which permits the bodyV to be set down below the cen-y tre of the Wheels, and as near the ground as may be desired.

The front Wheel O runs in a slot, c, in the tongue E, and rotates on a short axle, e', having its bearings in the slotted tongue, or in the lower endof a slotted arm or post, F, rising from the tongue in a nearly vertical position, and, like the tongue, embracing the Wheel in its slot.

Ihis armF has a journal at its upper end, Which enters and turns in a hub, h.

This hub is supported by a bent bar, h', of the frame H, which sustains the' Weight of' the front end of the body A, or by any equivalent structure by which the weight of the front endof the body maybe thrown upon said hub h.

On the rear end of the tongue E is a friction-wheel, E', which runs in a semicircular way, G G, attached to the front portion ofthe body A, or the supporting-frame H, in any suitable manner.

It may consist of anendless rod or bar of iron, bent into the form shown in the drawing, and the two segmental sides may be strengthened by cross-stays or braces, arched so as to be out of the way of the friction-Wheel E', which has a grooved periphery to keep itin place `by embracing the segmental side rods.

For greater strength or steadiness, there may be two wheels, E', attached to the rear end of thel tongue, and running in said segmental way.

The front wheel C turns laterally, to the right or left, with the slotted arm or post F pivoted in thehub h, the wheel E' at the same time moving in the segmental way G G, so that, should the horses make ever so ab? rupt a turn, the wheel O must tum with the tongue, and the vehicle will swing round on the inner hind wheel as upon `a pivot, Without any danger of upsetting.

` It will be seen that, while the whole weight of the front end of the body is sustained by the slotted pivotpost F, and is thence thrown upon the axle of the single front Wheel, the principal strain of the draught is upon the segmental Way G, With-which the rear end ofthe tongue is connected, and excessive strain upon the pivot-post F is thereby obviated.

The segmental way may consist of a single curved bar, embraced by a slot in the rear end of the tongue, the friction-Wheel being also located in said slot, be-

hind the curved bar. 0r, said friction-wheel may be o dispensed with, said curved bar being simply embraced by a slot in the rear end of the tongue, which will slip thereon, in turning; but in this case the friction would be greater, and I prefer to use a frictionwheel,.for this reason.

The side rails of the frame H may be extended clear backto the' rear axle, and be attached thereto, or may be connected by a cross-bar, t, secured to the body in front of the rear axle, the side rails also being securely bolted to the body.

The body A may be supported by any suitable springs.

Having thus fully descu'bed my invention, I do not claim broadly an omnibus or other vehicle mounted upon three wheels; but

What I claim, and desire to` secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with a single fore wheel, turning laterally upon an` upright pivot-shaft, which supports the front end of the body, and throws the weight thereof upon the axle of said Wheel, a slotted tongue embracing said Wheel, turning laterally upon the same centre therewith, and extending back ofthe wheel, and its rear end having'amovable-connection With a segmental bar or way attached to the body, and receiving the strain of the draught, substantially as described. A

2. In combination with the subject-matter of the foregoing claim, the friction-wheel on the rear end of the tongue, to lessen friction in turning:

HENRY M. STO'W.

Witnesses:

J. J. Ooomss, Jos. L. OoollrBs. 

